Rescue sled



July 1, 1969 R. J. ASHER 3,453,000

RESCUE SLED Filed Feb. 6, 1968 ,1 20 .43 i '=i- :A\/\\ M 51: 5 .EIE /4 F G. 4 I

F I G. 6

/4 INVENTOR.

ROBERT J. ASHER 26 25 BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 280-18 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rescue sled having a buoyant body portion with a pair of rails located on opposite edges of the upper surface of the 'body portion and with three runners located on the underside of the body portion to permit the sled to be easily propelled through snow and over ice. A sled retrieving line is afiixed to the front end of the body portion and a victim retrieving line is affixed to another portion of the body and has a device afiixed thereto to provide a loop that may be snugly brought about a victims wrist to assist in retrieving a victim that has fallen through ice.

Background of the invention Conventional ice rescue operations involve the use of a boat to permit the rescue personnel to reach the victim who has fallen through thin ice. Valuable time is lost in trying to maneouver a boat through trees and underbrush to reach victims in water surrounded by woods. Since speed with which a rescue can be effected is important if the victim is to be rescued without suffering from immersion in icy waters beyond the acceptable time limits established 'by the United States Government through the Department of the Navy, mobility is extremely important. Most prior art rescue devices of which I am aware are clumsy and are not sufficiently portable to enable a rescuer to reach his victim with speed. The present device permits a rescuer to grasp the handles and run with the sled in the air across the snow until he reaches the lake and then much like a person sledding flops on the sled and glides along the ice. If the victim is further out on the ice than his natural momentum will carry him, the rescuer may utilize awls which may be dug into the ice to keep the vehicle moving until the victim is reached.

Summary of the invention A rescue sled consisting of a buoyant body portion having a snub nose front end with a pair of rails extending along the upper surface thereof at opposite edges and three runners extending on the underside of the body portion, one of the runners being a central runner extending to the front end to permit the sled to be pulled out of a hole that it may have fallen through in the ice. Fastening means are provided at the front of the sled to permit a retrieving line to be fastened thereto and a victim retrieving line is fastened to the sled.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a rescue sled made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on lines 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail illustrating the victim retrieving line handle and grasping means.

Description of the preferred embodiment With reference to the drawing, 10 generally designates the elongate body portion of a sled which is preferably made of an expanded polystyrene or plastic foam, such as polyurethane foam, which portion serves to provide a 3,453,000 Patented July 1, 1969 buoyant structure. The expanded foam is covered with fiberglass designated 11 to give integrity to an otherwise fragile form. To the underside of the body portion a pair of longitudinal runners 14 and 15 are afiixed near opposite edges, while a third central runner 16 is afiixed substantially on the center line to extend from the front end 12 thereof to a point at least a third back from the front end. A pair of hand grab rails 1'8 and 19 are provided for the upper surface of the body portion, and these are preferably located the same distance apart as the runners 14 and 15. This then provides a means of securing together the runners and the handrails by passing a screw such as 20 through the runner and into the handle. As will be appreciated, this constructional feature provides a form of reinforcement for locating the runners as well as providing a good anchor for both the handles and the runners which otherwise would have no anchoring means. Anchoring means for the central front end runner 16 are provided in the form of a strip of wood 22 that is embedded in the top surface of the foam body as shown more particularly in FIG. 5. This then provides a means of fastening between the insert 22 and the runner 16 with fastening means such as the screws 23. To provide a good edge for the runners 14, 15 and 16, a number of materials may be utilized to be affixed to the bottom edge thereof. Such materials are illustrated in the drawings at 25, 2-6 and 27 and may consist of pressure laminated plastic or metal, both of which will provide a smooth running surface so that the sled may be more readily propelled over ice.

Aflixed to the body portion of the sled, as for example on the depending fastening points of the rails 18 and 19, is a victim retrieving line 30 which has located centrally thereof a cylindrical handle or bar 32 with a pair of diametrically spaced bores therethrough through which the line 30 may pass. In this fashion a loop as at 33 is formed, and the hand of a victim may be passed between the loop 33 and the cylindrical bar or handle 32 which can be slid along the line to tighten the loop. Alternately, the handle 32 may be used like any other handle and permit a victim to be towed in this fashion to shore. The front end of the sled is provided with a retrieving ring 35 to which a retrieving line may be attached which is always used in rescue operations. This ring finds a firm anchor by being made and fastened into the runner 16 and in this fashion will not pull loose. To give additional flotation as well as to provide a platform upon which to place ones chest, an enlargement 36 is provided. While this is not absolutely necessary, it does provide a convenient structural configuration and enables one to place his chest in position while grasping the handles and be pulled back to shore.

In operation, a rescue man attired in a wet suit or special exposure suit and insulated boots may pick up the rescue sled by the handles 18 and 19 and run upon the ice or snow and plunge downward on the ice toward the ice accident victim in a manner similar to one sledding. The gliding effect upon the ice is much faster than upon snow, and, of course, the runners will enhance the forward motion. If additional momentum is needed, a pair of awls such as 40 which are carried on the rescue sled may be used by being hand held and dug into the ice surface to continue forward motion toward the victim. The rescue sled may go to the hole or into the hole and the victim placed on the board as, for example, the victims chest may be positioned on the end of the board at enlargement 36, while the rescuer lying on the board with his legs to the front may hold the victim, and by a signal from the rescue man the shore line crew may pull the rescue sled and bring the rescuer and the victim to the shore to safety. Should the rescue sled be immersed in the water adjacent the hole through which the victim has fallen, it may be pulled up on to the firm ice as the runner 16 will assist in getting the front end thereof out of the hole. It will come out of the hole at a severe angle, particularly with a load located thereon such as the victim, and as soon as the center of gravity is reached, the board will flop down on the firm ice and may be readily pulled ashore by the use of the retrieving line affixed to the ring 35.

A rescue sled such as has been described above requires little storage space and is inexpensive. It has the ability of being carried on fire trucks and other rescue vehicles without being a cumbersome object and has the advantage over a boat in that it need not be towed to the scene on a trailer.

I claim:

1. A rescue sled comprising a body portion having a snub nose front end, said body exhibiting substantial buoyancy, a pair of handle rails extending along opposite edges of the body portion on one side thereof, a pair of runners extending along opposite edges of the body portion on the other side thereof, a single runner extending on the said other side of the body portion from the foremost edge of the front end thereof to a terminal point intermediate the longitudinal extentof said pair of runners and substantially midway therebetween, the running edge of the front end of said single runner approaching the plane of the other side of the body portion at an acute angle to assist the sled over the edge of ice, and a retrieving line fastened to the front end of said body.

2. A rescue sled as in claim 1 wherein a victim retrieving line is fastened to the body portion and consists of a cylindrical member having a pair of spaced holes therethrough with a line passing through the holes to leave a loop therebetween that may be slipped about a victims Wrist and tightened.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,406 3/1887 Shepard 280-18 2,927, 799 3/1960 Schnitzler 280-18 3,374,003 3/1968 Ful'som 28018 KENNETH H. BETTS, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT R. SONG, Assistant Examiner. 

